About WPI

Worcester Polytechnic Institute was founded in 1865 to create and convey the latest science and engineering knowledge in ways that are most beneficial to society.

Today, WPI holds firm to its founding mission to provide an education that balances theory with practice, a philosophy symbolized by the towers of our two original buildings, pictured above.

WPI's 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

The university’s curriculum features a flexible, rigorous program that is project-based and globally engaged, aimed at quality experience and a positive impact for the communities it partners with. WPI faculty members--recently ranked top in the nation for quality and accessibility, as reported by the Wall Street Journal--work with students on interdisciplinary research seeking solutions to important and socially relevant problems, both on campus and at more than 40 project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.

Graduate research programs include robotics, materials science, cybersecurity, and learning sciences and technology. WPI invests in research in critical areas, seeking solutions to important and socially relevant problems in such diverse fields as fire protection engineering, life sciences and bioengineering, energy and data science.

History

WPI’s founders wanted to create a new kind of university to help prepare a new professional class of engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs to fuel this new era. They had different ideas about how best to educate technological professionals, and in merging their visions, a new, influential model of higher education emerged.

Pioneer in Project-Based Education

WPI was among the first universities in the United States to incorporate project-based learning in its undergraduate curriculum, requiring students to apply their acquired skills, knowledge, and abilities to develop solutions for real-world problems. Now WPI is helping other colleges and universities implement experiential learning in their own curricula.

Our Campus

To know what WPI is all about, you have to experience it firsthand. WPI’s charming campus, set on a secluded hilltop, doesn’t look or feel like an urban university. Yet just down from “The Hill,” a vibrant college town awaits, with the amenities, opportunities, and lively cultural scene one would expect from New England’s second largest city.

Annual & Special Events

From Homecoming to QuadFest to TouchTomorrow, the university hosts a number of annual events, ceremonies, athletic competitions, and educational programs that celebrate achievements, honor traditions, and evoke a sense of pride, school spirit, and community at WPI.